About - Working Options in Education

What We Do

Working Options in Education is a charity that has been helping young people to aim high and fulfil their potential since 2010.

Our employability and life skills programme is delivered free in schools, colleges and online. We offer young people multiple interactions with our employer partners and volunteers. This includes expert insight sessions, skills workshops, online content, access to industry events, work experience and placements. We particularly focus on engaging disadvantaged young people, to bridge the opportunity gap in employment prospects that continues to widen.

Due to COVID-19, the young people we support are facing a crisis; in education, in employment prospects and in acquiring the skills and capabilities they need. We believe in the power of companies and organisations to create meaningful pathways for young lives and have been working hard to partner with organisations to support this mission.

View Working Options Career Pathway Programme

How we help

Improving employability

We’ve developed our employability and life skills programme to offer young people multiple interactions with employers,because we know there is a direct correlation to improved academic attainment and future employability. The widening opportunity gap in employment prospects means that we particularly focus on engaging disadvantaged young people.
Building confidence

We want young people to feel inspired, informed and have the skills they need for their future. Young people consistently tell us that participating in our employability and life skills programme has a positive impact on their self-esteem and confidence.
Supporting education

Our employability and life skills programme supports schools and colleges to deliver many of the employer engagement elements of the ‘Gatsby Benchmarks’ for their students.
Connecting industry

We act as a link between students and employers. We’ve developed strong links with the food, drink and retail industry in particular, because it employs 1 in 8 people in the UK in a wide range of roles and careers.

Success stories

Excellent resources

We LOVE all the information that you have compiled in the one place in your Student Zone for the Life after lockdown toolkit. We’ll be adding this on to our upcoming e-shot that goes out to students and parents.

Sixth Form Tutor
Turning learning into action

“After experiencing yesterday’s problem solving lesson, I brought home many useful tips that could help me with practically any problem I face. I would like to say thank you for a great experience.”

Sixth Form Student
Networking for success

Very engaging, I learnt so much about presentation, how to play an audience and network with confidence. Being able to practice my networking skills really helped me. Talking to actual industry professionals was an experience without compare.”

Sixth Form Student
Boosting Self Esteem

“The Working Options session at my college showed me the motivation I needed and that no matter where I come from, I can do what I want. I recently had an interview with Morrisons. I went in with my head held high and luckily I got it!”

Sixth Form Student

Our Impact

Our Team

Rachel Roxburgh

Strategic Lead

As a Strategic Consultant advising charities and companies, Rachel has always worked in the third sector, primarily with Cancer Research UK, building and heading up their phenomenally successful 5km women’s event: Race for Life. She then moved into more strategic roles and more recently was the inaugural CEO of Dallaglio RugbyWorks. Rachel is also a Trustee of House of St Barnabas, a Soho-based charity that supports the homeless into work.
Lauren Monk

Co-Founder and Head of Operations

Lauren has a passion for education and inspiring young people to reach their full potential. After graduating with a Law degree, Lauren spent some time working with the Walt Disney Company and BBC legal teams before joining Mars in a sales role. She is excited to expand the charity’s reach to as many young people as possible and to make a lasting impact on their lives.
Debbie Armorgie

Programmes Engagement Manager

Following a career in radio sponsorship, Debbie spent 10 years as a researcher for a Consumer Goods Executive Search Consultancy. Her network and experience in CV writing, job seeking and recruitment has helped us to develop the Working Options in Education programme.
Lara Davis

Marketing & Communications

Lara brings 25 years’ strategic and tactical experience in charity marketing communications to Working Options in Education. She is former Head of Communications for national charity Citizens Advice and worked for education specialist consultancy, Communications Management.
Claire McMaster

Programme Delivery Manager

After graduating with a BA (Hons) in French and European Studies, Claire gained a Postgraduate Certificate in Education. She joins Working Options in Education with 23 years of teaching and education leadership experience in Bedfordshire, Central Bedfordshire and Luton. Her roles as Headteacher and more recently, supporting young people on their journeys through Initial Teacher Training and Apprenticeships have enabled Claire to bring her insight into education and share the experience she has gained in supporting, teaching and guiding young people on their path to succeed.
Sarah Honey

Programme Coordinator

Sarah graduated from the University of Roehampton with a BA (Hons) in English Literature. She has spent 15 years in event management most prominently in the investment banking industry and more recently worked in business origination and corporate relationships. Sarah is responsible for supporting our corporate partners, recruiting volunteers, and conducting research. She has a passion for supporting and developing young people.

Our Board

Paul Monk

Co-Founder

Paul has extensive experience at board level in a variety of grocery industry companies. He is really passionate about what Working Options in Education can offer young people who aren’t sure about their next steps. Paul is well-networked within the grocery industry and heads up our fund-raising activities.
Julie Sneddon

Chair of Trustees

Julie spent 20 years in senior executive roles and her breadth of knowledge spans the Retail, Consumer Goods, Media and Entertainment industries. Julie left school at 16 and is passionate about helping students succeed.
Sufian Sadiq

Trustee

Sufian is a talented teacher with extensive management experience within the education sector. He is a Fellow of the Chartered College of Teaching and holds various roles with awarding bodies, specialising in quality assurance, examination and assessment. He is the Director of Teaching School for Chiltern Learning Trust, a successful Multi-Academy Trust. He is passionate about making a difference to young people and also holds management positions with a number of other charitable and voluntary sector organisations that are committed to improving the lives of young people.
Nigel Morris

President and Trustee

Nigel Morris has nearly 30 years’ experience in the digital and marketing services industries. He founded Isobar and built it into a global digital business of 3000 people, was Americas and EMEA CEO of Dentsu Aegis Network. He is now an active angel investor and advisor, is a board director of data science business Gyana, a Fellow of LocalGlobe Latitude and is a non-Executive Director of Guardian Media Group.
Naynesh Desai

Trustee

Naynesh Desai has been a solicitor for over 33 years and was senior partner of Mayfair solicitors DDO before merging the practice with Chan Neill.He advises and acts for a vast array of retailers throughout the United Kingdom, many of which are privately owned and operated family businesses. He also advises several large hotel groups in the United Kingdom. Naynesh has been the Chairman of The Bunbury Dinners which raises money for The English Schools Cricket Association for many years and acts for many high-profile celebrity sportsmen and is on the Board of Ian’s Botham’s “Beefy’s Charitable Foundation.
Sir Clive Woodward

Patron

Sir Clive Woodward is the World Cup -winning Head Coach who led England’s rugby players to World Cup glory in Australia in 2003. A former England International and British and Irish Lion himself, during Clive’s tenure as Head Coach England moved from 6th in the world to being the number one ranked team, winning every trophy an England team can win.
Lady Jayne Woodward

Patron

Jayne started her career as a teacher of History and Geography in the UK. Jayne’s experience and training as a teacher, has been a huge advantage in creating content based on Clive’s sports coaching. Their collaborative content has been used in both a sports and business context and continues to grow. As a business partner, Jayne has managed Clive’s ‘off-pitch activity’ including his charity and fundraising commitments, media work and business speaking for over 20 years.

Helping young people fulfil their potential

What We Do

How we help

Success stories

Excellent resources

Turning learning into action

Networking for success

Boosting Self Esteem

Our Team

Rachel Roxburgh

Strategic Lead

Lauren Monk

Co-Founder and Head of Operations

Debbie Armorgie

Programmes Engagement Manager

Lara Davis

Marketing & Communications

Claire McMaster

Programme Delivery Manager

Sarah Honey

Programme Coordinator

Our Board

Paul Monk

Co-Founder

Julie Sneddon

Chair of Trustees

Sufian Sadiq

Trustee

Nigel Morris

President and Trustee

Naynesh Desai

Trustee

Sir Clive Woodward

Patron

Lady Jayne Woodward

Patron

News

March 1 2021

National Careers Week at Cardiff and Vale College

February 11 2021

Bridge the Gap 2021 fundraising challenge

January 28 2021

Opportunities at ITV

December 18 2020

Lights, camera, action!

December 10 2020

Opportunities in social care sector growing